Teaching by the Book
How can a teacher best approach the teaching of a novel? This lens will break it down step by step, from the abstract notion of "What's worth teaching in this novel?" to the concrete concerns of "How will students be held accountable for their understanding of this book? In what ways will I assess progress? How will students demonstrate their understandings of story theme, character development, plot, vocabulary, and other story elements?" This lens will provide sample materials, Internet resources, and ideas which have proven successful in many classrooms.
But what's up with title? Isn't "How to Teach a Novel" an incredibly presumptive claim? Absolutely! Is the method described here the only way to properly teach a novel? Absolutely not! But what I found is that "How to Teach a Novel" is what people were searching when they wanted to find the types of resources I was offering. So excuse the smug, elitist tone of my title. The important thing is, you found me!
I recently started the How to Teach a Novel blog, which will be frequently updated with teaching suggestions and recommended sites and resources. If you're truly seeking some diverse ideas and applications for teaching with novels, you may also want to check out my Teaching that Sticks blog and my new Teach with Picture Books. Both offer ideas and insights which are applicable to the teaching of novels. You'll also find frequent picture book giveaways, so if you're trying to build your library, it's a great place to bookmark!
Table of Contents
- Step One: Choose (and Read!) a Novel
- Step Two: Align the Novel with a Universal Theme
- Step Two: Align the Novel with a Universal Theme (continued)
- Step Three: Develop Guiding Questions
- The Outsiders Movie Trailer
- Step Four: Deconstruct the Novel
- More Great Lenses
- Step Five: Select Supplementary Resources
- Step Six? Contact Me!
- What are your favorite novels?
- About the Author
Step One: Choose (and Read!) a Novel
The Right Book Makes All the Difference
This is absolutely the most important step. Just as we choose wallpaper and furniture carefully, knowing that we'll be living with it for the next ten or fifteen years, choose your novel carefully, because you will indeed be living with it for the next two to six weeks.When choosing a novel such as Esperanza Rising
, ask yourself: "Why this book? What's worth reading in it? What's worth teaching from it?" Below, I've listed just a few of the many reasons why you might choose one novel over another, and you are sure to have reasons of your own.A novel is worth reading and teaching if it
- is a classic which continues to be relevant to today's students;
- is well written and particularly strong in a single area such as characterization, plot, point of view, dialogue, conflict;
- contains a universal theme which can be integrated into at least one other curriculum area;
- speaks to the students' interests, concerns, or social issues;
- exemplifies a genre;
- is grade and ability appropriate (or just slightly over or under the average student's independent reading level); or
- supports your curriculum objectives as well as state standards.
I would recommend two readings: one from cover to cover, full immersion. A second reading would occur with pencil in hand, after Step Three.
Step Two: Align the Novel with a Universal Theme
Universal Appeal
For a novel to be compelling, it most work at a thematic level. That is, it must address a universal concept to which students can relate. The novel Holes
, for example, addresses the theme of finding one's identity, which is certainly of interest to middle and high school students.In order to make literature meaningful, teachers must find a way to help students connect it to their own lives. Universal Themes and their accompanying Guiding Questions are one way of doing this. Regardless of the novel you choose and its innate merits, you must ask yourself, "What makes this story accessible to everyone?" That's getting to the theme, or the universality, of the novel.
There are several major advantages to using themes:
Learning About Text Structure Across Selections
In order for students to become effective constructors of meaning, they must learn to understand the differences in narrative and expository texts (Beach & Appleman,1984; Taylor & Beach, 1984). Thematic organization makes it possible to arrange several pieces of related literature together to help students learn to use different text structures as aids to constructing meaning. For example, how are the perils of prairie living described in an autobiography versus a picture book versus an article versus a poem? What are the advantages and drawbacks to each text form?
Strategies/Skills Evolve from the Literature
Students learn the strategies and skills of reading and writing by reading and writing (Wells, 1990). By placing related pieces of literature with similar characteristics together, it is possible to scaffold (Ibid. page 23) instruction and gradually release the responsibility for learning to the students (Pearson, 1985). In the first selection the teacher can provide heavy support and modeling. In the next selection students can begin to take control and model what they are learning, still under the teacher's guidance or coaching. Finally, students use the last selection to model and apply what they have learned. Reading the literature provides models for the strategies and skills. By encountering several related pieces of literature, students get repeated modeling and practice with the same types of strategies and skills.
Building Connections and Relationships
Thematic organization helps to account for the concepts of schema theory and prior knowledge. By having related, focused literature, students are able to build connections and relationships about a given theme, which is how one develops prior knowledge and uses it to construct meaning (Anderson & Pearson, 1984).
(Read on below)
Top Resources for Teaching a Novel
How to Read a Novel: A User's Guide
Amazon Price: (as of 12/18/2009) 
Learning Under the Influence of Language and Literature: Making the Most of Read-Alouds Across the Day
Amazon Price: $27.22 (as of 12/18/2009)
Invitations: Changing as Teachers and Learners K-12
Amazon Price: $42.35 (as of 12/18/2009)
Guiding Readers And Writers Grades 3-6 (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/18/2009)
Reading with Meaning
Amazon Price: $17.33 (as of 12/18/2009)
Step Two: Align the Novel with a Universal Theme (continued)
Reaching All Readers
Additional reasons for utilizing themes in your teaching of novels:Provides Models for Reading and Writing
Children learn to read and write together (Teale & Sulzby, 1986). A thematic organization allows reading and writing to be taught and developed together as readers and writers naturally learn. By having themes with several pieces of the same type of literature, students have models to use in their writing. For example, if students are reading several well-formed stories with very strong character descriptions, their writing can focus on the writing of stories with strong character descriptions; the exact topic of the student's writing, however, should be selected by the student (Graves, 1983).
Efficient Use of Classroom Time
A thematic organization also makes it possible to use classroom time more efficiently by focusing on a variety of curricular areas across the theme (Pappas, Kiefer, & Levstik, 1990; Walmsley & Walp, 1990). Teachers are constantly faced with the dilemma of having too many things to teach and not enough time to teach them. By having a strong thematic organization, teachers are better able to provide students with learning experiences that make more efficient use of their time and match the way students actually learn. (For example, a novel such as Crash
, with its wide theme of relationships, can work in every subject area).Supports Constructing Meaning
Overall, the major advantage of focused themes is that they make it possible for students to more effectively construct meaning by reading related authentic selections and building connections among them.
(http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/literacy/lit_ins2.html)
But which comes first, the novel or the theme? That's entirely up to you. Many teachers have strong allegiances to certain novels, so they let the novel "lead" the curriculum. Other teachers prefer to select several themes for the year (often one per marking period) and then build a collection of novels, Wisdom Books (picture books), poetry, drama, and accompanying activities around that theme.
Another consideration is how far a theme will extend into other curriculum areas. This is where Universal Themes (Balance, Change, Patterns) prove to be somewhat more authentic than "topics" (Spiders, Autumn, Tall Tales). Themes more naturally tie disciplines together.
For an exhaustive listing of universal themes, email KLSchoch@aol.com. I'll also include the link for the complete ten sections of "How to Read a Novel."
For more great teaching ideas and thoughts, check my blog Teaching that Sticks.
How to Teach a Novel: The Blog
Keith's Newest Blog!
In addition to this site, you'll want to check out and subscribe to How to Teach a Novel, Keith's frequently updated blog on the subject. Teachers in grades 3 through 12 will find insights, articles, practical teaching resources, and recommended sites and books on the art and science of teaching the novel.
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Step Three: Develop Guiding Questions
Guiding questions, also called central or essential questions, capture the central concepts, issues, and understandings that are most significant in your theme.For your first theme, and especially for themes in younger grades, the teacher will develop these questions. In older grades, students can generate these questions. The questions can later be revised and used as an assessment piece for the unit. Simply by previewing the cover of The Outsiders
, for example, middle school students might ask, "Why do some kids, even those with friends, feel like outsiders?"Good guiding questions have some basic criteria in common:
- They are open-ended and resist a simple or single right answer.
- They are deliberately thought-provoking, counterintuitive, and/or controversial.
- They require students to draw upon content knowledge and personal experience.
- They can be revisited throughout the unit to engage students in evolving dialogue and debate.
- They lead to other essential questions posed by students.
Two themes and their guiding questions are provided below. Note that each theme is accompanied by a definition which narrows the overly general theme.
Theme: Identity - Identity might be defined as uniqueness, distinctiveness, individuality, or personality. The identity of a person or group is rarely static, but instead is constantly being changed by internal and external forces.
Guiding Questions:
- How do we form our identities?
- How does what others think about you affect how you think about yourself?
- How is identity shaped by relationships and experiences?
- What can you learn about yourself by studying the lives of others?
- When should an individual take a stand in opposition to an individual or larger group?
Theme: Choices - People are faced with decisions every day, some more important than others. When an individual is faced with choices, he/she must evaluate which choices will bring desired, or at least positive, outcomes. People often forget that they can exert control over situations through the decisions they make; however, they must be willing to accept the consequences of those decisions.
Guiding Questions:
- How do we make good decisions?
- What is the relationship between decisions and consequences?
- How can a person's decisions and actions change his/her life?
- How do the decisions and actions of characters reveal their personalities (identities)?
- How do decisions, actions, and consequences vary depending on the different perspectives of the people involved?
Two sites to check out for more information on essential questions:
Questioning Toolkit
Great resource for creating Essential Questions and understanding the different types of questions which should be used in the classroom.
Themes & Essential Questions
Features a list of themes and essential questions by grade level.
The Outsiders Movie Trailer
Stars a Poppin'
The cast of The Outsiders
was exceptional, but most hard core fans of the novel were disappointed with the directing and soundtrack. View it for yourself!
was exceptional, but most hard core fans of the novel were disappointed with the directing and soundtrack. View it for yourself!powered by Youtube
Step Four: Deconstruct the Novel
Once you have selected at least one theme, it's time to reread the novel with that theme in mind. As you read,- Assign each page a title. This will allow you to reference specific events more quickly. Critical quotes make excellent titles. If students own the novels, have them do the same.
- Form anticipatory questions for each chapter. What thoughts might help review the previous chapter while cuing the student's mind for this new chapter? A book such as Granny Torrelli Makes Soup
, if read in installments, will need frequent reviewing if students are to follow its two parallel stories.
- Jot down questions throughout each chapter. Some questions may review information which is critical to unfolding events, while others may ask students to predict what will occur. It's important to write STOP at those points where you would like students to predict or reflect; often in the "heat of the moment" we have flown past a point in the story where I had meant for students to stop and share their thoughts, or to predict what action the character might next take.
- Underline vocabulary which is critical to understanding the story. Will students need to understand these terms before they read, or can they later define them using context clues? Or, is the term introduced here and then later defined using the "read on" strategy? I am NOT fan of assigning students lists of vocabulary for defining before a chapter is read. That is NOT how real readers contend with new words, and that is NOT how context clue strategies are effectively built! (I will now step off my soapbox).
- Mark any literary devices. Which are employed by this author often? Which are central to the story's theme or plot?
- Continually ask yourself as serie of questions: "What's worth knowing here? How can students take what is worth knowing and make it their own? How can they organize their own thinking about this novel's contents in order to understand it better? In what ways does this relate to them? In what ways does this relate to the theme and the essential questions?"
Essential Reads for Teaching Novels
These three books are comprehensive resources for teaching reading and writing in the upper primary and middle school grades. There are no shortcuts to excellent teaching, but these resources are heavy on the practical classroom applications that you'll need to be successful.
Guiding Readers And Writers Grades 3-6 (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/18/2009)
Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement
Amazon Price: $23.10 (as of 12/18/2009)
Teaching Reading in Middle School (Grades 5 & Up)
Amazon Price: $21.11 (as of 12/18/2009)
Guiding Readers and Writers: Teaching Comprehension, Genre, and Content Literacy
Amazon Price: $43.13 (as of 12/18/2009)
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Step Five: Select Supplementary Resources
In addition to your novel of choice, you may also consider incorporating picture books, poetry, drama, quotes, video clips, web sites, and related articles and writing prompts into your themed unit.These items can be used as anticipatory sets, discussion starters, response journal prompts, etc. A few examples:
- Students read that Mr. Sir in Holes
- Students read the following quote on the board: "No matter how far you have gone down the wrong road, turn back" (Turkish proverb). The teacher asks, "What does that mean? How does that quote relate to the decision we saw Palmer (from the novel Wringer
) make in the last chapter?"
- After students settle down, the teacher reads aloud the picture book The Honest to Goodness Truth by Patricia McKissack. After reading it, the teacher says, "I thought we agreed yesterday that 'Honesty is the best policy.' This book seems to say the exact opposite! So who's right?"
Creating a Common Literary Culture Using Wisdom Books
If every child in every class had a similar "bank" of common experiences and knowledge, we would be able to focus our teaching efforts much more efficiently and effectively. If you knew, for example, that every student in the classroom had read Sarah, Plain and Tall
, you would be able to discuss color imagery with ease. Unfortunately, it is rare that students have extensive shared literary experiences. How can we create such a culture in our classroom?One such way is through the use of picture books. To dignify these types of books for my fourth graders, I prefer to call them "Wisdom Books." No matter what types of readers students may be, I recommend that they continue to experience picture books in the fourth grade and beyond. Picture books are simply books that are not divided into chapters and contain more illustrations than your typical chapter books. The fact is, picture books often contain more complex sentence structure, vocabulary, and themes than many "dumbed down" chapter books.
Wisdom Books are picture books whose themes and narratives illustrate the life skills, character traits, and attitudes which we want our own children to embrace. Universal themes such as patience, empathy, teamwork, cooperation, forgiveness, fairness, and responsibility are often praised, but how often are they modeled for students? Certain picture books capture one or more of these (and other) ideal traits in just sixteen or twenty-four pages, creating a memorable model for children who still think and generalize in very concrete terms.
For our purposes of creating a common literary culture, Wisdom Books provide an instant and complete shared experience. This shared experience can then be referenced by all students with equal understanding. The Wisdom Book may explicitly address your theme, or it may provide historical or cultural background information helpful in understanding your novel's setting, or it may focus on a literary device which you wish to teach.
For more information on using picture books, visit my Picture Books in the Middle Grades lens. For specific picture book recommendations, summaries, and extension activities, try my Teach with Picture Books blog. This popular, frequently updated site will help you see how picture books, at any grade level, are a natural compliment to novels.
Step Six? Contact Me!
I've been rolling out this lens over time, and I do plan to get all ten steps posted. But if you're at all like me, you can't wait that long! If that's the case, get in touch!
For an exhaustive listing of universal themes, email KLSchoch@aol.com. I'll also include the complete ten sections of "How to Teach a Novel," in a nice convenient Word document. Once you've downloaded that, you'll be able to directly click on dozens of terrific novel-related sites that weren't included here.
For more great teaching ideas and thoughts, check my blog Teaching that Sticks. And for some great Wisdom book ideas, be sure to visit Teach with Picture Books.
For an exhaustive listing of universal themes, email KLSchoch@aol.com. I'll also include the complete ten sections of "How to Teach a Novel," in a nice convenient Word document. Once you've downloaded that, you'll be able to directly click on dozens of terrific novel-related sites that weren't included here.
For more great teaching ideas and thoughts, check my blog Teaching that Sticks. And for some great Wisdom book ideas, be sure to visit Teach with Picture Books.
What's New at Teach with Picture Books
Teach with Picture Books is a frequently updated site featuring picture books summaries, guiding questions, and cross-curricular extension activities. You'll also find reviews of picture book sites which offer additional instructional resources, including student activity sheets, which can be downloaded and used in your classroom tomorrow. Be sure to stop in frequently, since FREE book giveaways are happening every two to three weeks! Book suggestions and guest reviews are always welcome.
See the picture and title below for the latest post.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byWhat are your favorite novels?
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- kschoch kschoch Oct 22, 2009 @ 7:47 pm
- Love your suggestions for using Web 2.0 tools in conjunction with reading! I'll be presenting on that very topic in November, 2009 at the NJEA Convention in Atlantic City! I agree: kids will be online anyway, so why not make their time productive!
[in reply to lostinfiction]
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- lostinfiction lostinfiction Sep 3, 2009 @ 9:47 am
- thanks for taking the time to write out all of those steps! very helpful stuff. another thing i would suggest is making students use online web 2.0 tools to conduct further research on the books and authors and get further insight into what they are reading. One example is Infloox.com which seems to be devoted to books and influences (authors and other important public figures). In any case, they're online all the time, might as well make some of their screen-time productive! :) Do you allow your kids to use SparkNotes? at least when we were in school, it was outright banned!
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- Muneer mavoor Muneer mavoor Jul 9, 2009 @ 7:08 am
- I am research scholar in JNU new Delhi, and native of Kerala state widely known as God's own country. I am gravely a intense lover of english novels and hotherto have read a nomber of it and and have fortunately chanced to teach it in degree level for some years. But i am very late to visit ur site and long for if i had met with a long back it is very useful site for english novel teachers and wish u best compliments for this commendable job u do for publics waitng for more updates in the site. my mai id muneermavoor@gamail.com
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- Janie Janie Jun 27, 2009 @ 2:22 am
- I'm a first year teacher and have only one regret.. that didn't come across your site until today! Thank you in advance because I know your "insites" are going to make my second year incredible!
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Reply
- anaturalphenomenon anaturalphenomenon Jun 23, 2009 @ 7:29 pm
- This is really stupendous! I'm going to keep watching and waiting for those other tips; thanks for a great Lens.
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About the Author
Some shameless self-promotion...
Keith Schoch is a 6th grade Reading and Language Arts teacher in Bedminster, New Jersey. During his 20+ years in teaching he earned a Masters in Instruction and Curriculum, served on the New Jersey Department of Education ESPA Mathematics Item Review Committee, piloted tests for Educational Testing Service, assessed candidates for The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and was named a Governor's Teacher of the Year.In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Keith specializes in professional development for organizations such as the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), the New Jersey Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (NJASCD), the New York State Reading Association (NYSRA), The New England League of Middle Schools (NELMS), and the American Camping Association (ACA). He also shares his expertise with colleagues through three highly acclaimed blogs: Teaching that Sticks, Teach with Picture Books, and How to Teach a Novel.
During the summer, Keith serves on the leadership staff of LakeView Day Camp in East Brunswick, NJ.
Disclosure Statement:
In creating this site I did not receive products, services, or compensation of any kind from any publisher, PR agency, or web site. I have included only those resources which I feel will assist teachers, tutors, and parents in meeting instructional objectives. I absolutely welcome suggestions for additional books and sites from readers and publishers alike, but will not accept incentives to promote either.
My site is linked through an affiliate account to Amazon books. When blog readers originate a purchase via one of my links, I receive a small commission of the sale (at no additional cost to the purchaser). This financial support allows me to cover costs associated with maintaining this site.
I appreciate your support!
by kschoch
Keith Schoch is a New Jersey educator active in the fields of education and summer camping. Contact him at KLSchoch@aol.com.
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